Fur stretcher



July 21, 1942. J. c. TAYLOR FUR STRETCHER Filed April 19, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented July 21, 1942 UN STTS ()FHCE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device for use in stretching pelts and more especially the skin of fur bearing animals.

An object of the invention is to provide a structure of this character adjustable readily to skins of difierent sizes and proportions and having means forming a part thereof and adjustably mounted, for engaging the edge portions of the skins in order that the same may be drawn taut at any predetermined points.

Another object is to provide on the device a means for engaging the nose portion of the pelt and also supplemental means to be seated within the eyeholes so that all portions of the pelt can be properly held during the stretching and drying operation.

Another object is to provide a stretching device which obviates the necessity of cutting large holes into the pelts or the use of nails for fastening the pelt to a supporting structure.

A still further object is to provide a fur stretcher which can be hung in the sun and fresh air so that the time required for drying the pelt is shortened materially.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure l is a front elevation of the structure, the position of a pelt thereon being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 2 is a section on line 22, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlargedsection on line 33, Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section on line ll, Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of one side portion of the structure showing a modified means for engaging the pelt to be stretched.

Figure 6 is an enlarged section on line 6-5, Figure 5.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, l designates an elongated fiat strip of material, preferably stiff metal provided, near its ends, with longitudinal slots 2. Fastened to the middle portion of this strip are downwardly diverging arms 3 constituting the sides of a yoke to opposed portions of which are secured hooks 5.

Elongated flat strips 6 preferably of stifi metal are provided for the sides of the stretcher and another similar strip 1 is provided for the bottom of the stretcher. Each of these strip-s 6 and l is provided at its ends with longitudinal slots 8.

The slotted portions of the strips I, 6 and I are adapted to be placed in lapped relation for the purpose of forming a frame. In the lapping slotted portions are located bolts 9 each of which is engaged by a wing-nut It or the like. One bolt is inserted through the registering portions of each pair of crossed slots and obviously by tightening the nut on each bolt the crossed portions of the strips can be bound together tightly so as to be held against relative sliding or swinging movement.

Extending from the strip l adjacent to its center are studs H each provided at its front end with a head l2. These studs are spaced apart at such a distance as to be easily inserted through the eyeholes in a pelt to be stretched.

Mounted on each of the strips I, 6 and I is a series of loops I3 which extend almost entirely around the engaged strip. Each group is slidable along the strip and cannot become dislodged therefrom. One end portion of each loop merges into a pointed hook I 4.

Any desired number of these loops can be provided on each of the strips and it will be noted that strip 1 has two sets of loops, one being located at each side of the pair of diverging arms 3. In every case the hooks are so positioned as to extend outwardly away from the inner longitudinal edge of the strip on which it is mounted.

In practice the pelt to be stretched is placed at its nose portion in engagement with the hooks 5. Studs l2 are then inserted through the eyeholes in the pelt after which the pelt, shown generally at H, is placed at its upper edges into engagement with the hooks 14 on the strip I. The side edges of the pelt are placed in engagement with the hooks M on the strips 6 while the bottom edges are placed in engagement with the hooks [4 on the strips 1. Bolts 9 are loosened and the several strip are adjusted away from each other so as to stretch the pelt longitudinally and laterally and after the pelt has been brought to the desired degree of tension, the strips are fastened against relative movement by tightening the bolts 9. Thereafter the structure can be suspended from a pole or the like where the pelts can be acted on by the fresh air and the sun rays so that the drying operation will take place quickly. Thus the structure described is advantageous as compared with ther means employed. For example it does not have the disadvantage of large holes necessitated where sticks are inserted through cuts along the edge portions of the pelt nor is it slow drying as where nails are used for holding a pelt stretched on a wall.

Instead of forming small holes by the insertion of numerous small hooks in the edge portions of the pelt, as shown in Figure 1, the number of holes can be reduced materially by utilizing pointed rods [5. These are adapted to be threaded through the edge portions of the pelt and then placed in engagement with two or more hooks as shown, for example, in Figure 5. Thus the pelt will be engaged solely by the rods and the rods, in turn, will be engaged by the hooks. Consequently when the frame is adjusted by moving its strips apart and then securing them, the pelt will be stretched in substantially the same manner as has already been explained.

What is claimed is:

A pelt stretcher of the class described including crossed members each having longitudinal slots in its end portions, the slotted portion 01 the members being crossed, means extending through the crossed portions of the slots for binding the members together, said members being adjustable longitudinally and transversely relative to each other, a head-engaging yoke extending from one of the members, pelt-engaging hooks thereon, means adjacent to the yoke for engagement in the eyeholes of a pelt, and means adjustably mounted on the members for engagement with the edge portions of a pelt.

JAMES CORDIE TAYLOR. 

